Bottle carrier



H. W- FORR ER BOTTLE CARRIER Jan. 9, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 26. 1948 Fray. .7

IN V EN TOR. llama? Hf R0050 ATTORNEIJ Jan. 9, 1951 H. w. FORRER 2,537,452

BOTTLE CARRIER Filed June 26, 1948 '4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. [104150 I P000549 H. W. FORRER Jan. 9, 1951 BOTTLE CARRIER 4 Sheets-Sheet '3 Filed June 26, 1948 IN VENTOR. #00150 K. For/2n? 1 @My 2 z-CAWI,

47' TOFIVEIJ Patented Jan. 9, 1951 BOTTLE CARRIER Homer W. Forrer, Atlanta, Ga., assig'nor to Atlanta Paper Company, a corporation of Georgia Application June 26, 1948, Serial No. 35,389

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a carrier for bottles and other similar containers, and particularly to a bottle carrier of the type adapted to be formed from a blank of paperboard or the like, and which is foldable to a fiat, collapsed position for shipping or storage, or to an erect position for loading with bottles.

An important feature of the bottle carrier of the present invention is a unique telescoped arrangement of the handle portion by which the handle portion is formed in double thickness providing an exceptionally strong and sturdy construction at the point which has characteristically been the weakest point in bottle carrier constructions heretofore in use. This telescoped arrangement also makes it possible to form a bottle supporting portion which is stronger than usual, and which is entirely symmetrical so that it presents a neat, balanced appearance and provides adequate space for advertising indicia on all sides.

The bottle carrier of the present invention is described further below in connection with the accompanying drawing. in which:

Fig. 1 isa perspective view of a bottle carrier constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the bottle carrier shown in Fig. l and illustrating in dotted lines the position assumed by bottles when loaded in the carrier;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the blank used for forming the bottle carrier illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3;

Figs. 5 to are similar plan views illustrating the progressive steps carried out to fold the blank shown in Fig. 4 to form the bottle carrier;

Fig. 11 is a further plan view showing the completed bottle carrier in collapsed position.

Fig. 12 is a corresponding plan view illustrating the manner in which the height of the bottle carrier can be varied by varying the width of the partition strips;

Fig. 13 is a plan view illustrating the manner in which a carrying handle may be incorporated with the bottle carrier of the present invention, if desired; and

Figs. 14 and 15 are plan views corresponding generally to Fig. 4 and showing alternative blanks for forming the bottle carrier with modified forms of end partition strips.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, the bottle carrier of the present invention comprises generally a handle portion l0 and a bottle supporting portion l2. The handle portion i0 is formed by two pairs of panels l4 and i6 foldably joined at their top edges l8 and doubled in face to face relation with one pair 14 of said panels telescoped over and secured to the other pair l6 of said panels, as will be described more in detail presently.

The bottle supporting portion l2 comprises end partition strips 20 and intermediate partition strips 22 arranged in spaced relation on each side of the handle portion ill to extend from each panel of said pairs of panels l4 and I6 adjacent the respective bottom edges thereof, opposed side walls 24 joined at the extending ends oi said partition strips 20 and 22, and a bottom wall 26 connected between the opposed side walls 24;

As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, bottles B when loaded in the carrier are spaced and supported in parallel rows by the partition strips 20 and 22 and the opposed side walls 24 on the bottom wall 26, and the handle portion I0 is disposed vertically between the parallel rows of bottles B to provide a hand grip for carrying the loaded carrier. It will be noted that the handle portion ID, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, does not extend above the tops of the bottles B, which is an important commercial feature because it allows the loaded carriers to be stored or displayed or otherwise handled easily in stacks during distribution and sale.

This feature, which is afiorded by the construction of the present invention without requiring any special provision for vertical adjustment of the handle portion In to make it available as a hand grip, results from the arrangement of the handle portion l0 so that the adjacent ends of the intermediate partition strips 22 forming the central bottle compartments are not secured together and are accordingly free to spread and allow the central bottles B to tilt readily for easy displacement by a hand as it is placed to grip the handle portion l0 (compare Fig. 3).

The bottle carrier of the present invention is further arranged for folding to a fiat, collapsed position for shipping or storage, and for easy manipulation to erect position for loading with bottles, by a medial score line 28 in the bottom wall 26; parallel score lines 30 and 32 defining the side edges of the bottom wall 26 at which the opposed side walls 24 are foldably joined; vertical score lines 34 and 36 at which the end partition strips 20 and intermediate partition strips 22, respectively, are foldably joined with the side walls 24; and, similar vertical score lines 38 and 40 at which these partition strips 20 and 22 are foldably joined with the pairs of panels [4 and I6 forming the handle portion I0. Easymanipulation of the bottle carrier of this invention between collapsed and erect positions is particularly facilitated by the telescoped arrangement of the handle portion Ill due to the fact that this arrangement results in a disposition of the remainin elements of the bottle carrier for folding about score lines which fold oppositely in a balanced arrangement so that any fight in the score lines tending to make manipulation difficult is easily overcome. This balanced arrangement of the bottle carrier elements for folding is pointed out furthe belowin describing the manner in which the bottle carrier of the present invention is formed.

Referring again to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the bottom wall 26 in the bottle carrier construction illustrated is foldably joined at the score line 32 with a flap 42 to which one of the sidg ,walls 24 is secured, as will be explained presently, the

other side wall 24 being foldably joined with the bottom wall 255 directly at the score line 30. Also, each panel of the pairs of panels I4 and I6 forming the handle portion I is formed with a fiap 44 adjacent the outer ends thereof, the flaps 44 being foldably joined along the score lines 38 at their top portion to the panels of the pairs of panels I4 and I6, and at their bottom portion to the end partition strips 20.

To provide a hand grip at the handle portion l0; the outer telescoped pair of panels I4 may belnotched to form flaps 46 foldably joined at score lines 48 to the panels of the pair I4 and aligned openings 50 may be cut in the inner telescoped pair of panels I6 to allow clearance for folding the notched flaps 46 to form a comfortable bearing surface for the hand (compare Fig. 3)

The manner in which the bottle carrier of the present invention is formed is illustrated in Figs. 4 to 11 6f the drawing. Fig. 4 shoes the blank used for-' forming the bottle carrier. This blank is characterized by a symmetrical portion above the line *X-X as seen in Fig. 4, and an asymmetrical portion below the line X-X. The symmetrical portion comprises the two pairs of panels I4 and I6 forming the handle portion II] as previously mentioned, which panels are notched in the blank with each pair of panels l4 and I6 comprising complementary panels foldably joined by medial score lines at I8 adapting them for doubling in face to face relation. Each panel of said pairs of panels I4 and I6 is further formed with a plurality of spaced score lines disposed laterally with respect to the medial score lines I8, and which correspond with the previously mentioned vertical score lines 38 and 40.

At the outer side edges of each panel of the pairs of panels I4 and IS, the flaps 44 are foldably joined at the lateral score lines 38, these flaps also extending to be likewise foldably joined at the score lines 38 with the and partition strips 20. The blank is further out (and slit as indi-' cated at 2|) so that these end partition strips 20, and the intermediate partition strips 22 which are foldably joined with each panel of the pairs [4 and It at the lateral score lines 49, extend diagonally inward in a complementary pattern and terminate in similar laterally disposed score lines corresponding to the previously mentioned vertical score lines 34 and 36. At these lateral score lines 34 and 36, complementary side wall panels 24 are foldably joined with the extending ends of each group of partition strips 20 and 22 extending inward from adjacent panels of the pairs of panels l4 and I6.

The asymmetrical portion of the blank comprises the bottom wall 26 which is foldably joined to one of the side walls 24 at the score line 30, and further formed with the medial score line 38 and a score line 32 defining its other side edge at which the flap 42 is foldably joined. This arrangement of the blank is particularly advantageous because it can be out from a strip of paperboard or the like in two rows with the asymmetrical portions nested so that the amount of waste is unusually small.

If desired, the form of the end partition strips 20 can be varied in a number of patterns and still obtain allof the above noted advantages of the blank arrangement just described. For example, the end partition strips 20 may be formed to extend from the bottom corner of the side walls 24 as indicated at 20a. in Fig. 14; or they may be formed as indicated at 20b in Fig. 15 so that complete end closures are provided for the bottle carrier. Also, as is illustrated in Fig. 12 and described further below, the height of the bottle carrier may be varied as desired by varying the width of the partition strips 20 and 22.

The laterally disposed score lines 34 and 36, and 38 and 40, adapt the partition strips 20 and 22 for folding to dispose the pairs of panels I4 and IS in overlappingrelation so that the above mentioned telescoped arrangement is obtained when the pairs of panels I4 and I6 are folded and doubled. This feature is illustrated initially in Fig. 5 of the drawing, which shows the first step in the process of folding the blank to form the bottle carrier. In this step, the pair of panels I4 and related partition strips 23 and 22 are folded over from the right as seen in Fig. 5. This is a conditioning step employed to flex the lateral score lines at this side of the blank so that they will fold easily, and may a'so be employed for spotting or otherwise applying adhesive as indicated at 52 on the inner faces of the pair of panels I4 around the hand grip flaps 46.

The blank is then unfolded to its original disposition, and in the next step the pair of panels I6 and related partition strips 20 and 22 are folded over from the left as seen in Fig. 6. *This step results in securing the pair of panelsplfi in overlapping relation to the pair of panels l4 by the adhesive 52 which was applied to the panels I4 in the preceding step, and it will be noted that when secured in this manner the openings 01' apertures 58 in the panels I6 coincide with the notched flaps 46 in the panels l4.

Next, as shown in Fig. '7, the flap 44 on the panels I4 are folded in, and these flaps 44 may be secured to the inner faces of the panels I4, if desired, to facilitate the succeeding steps. 1 The bottom wall 26 is then folded in about the score line 30, as shown in Fig. 8, and in this Step adhesive is applied on the outer faces of the upper panel flaps 44 as indicated at 54, and at the bottom portion of the inner face of the upper side wall panel 24, as indicated at 56, in an extent corresponding to the size of the flap 42 foldably joined with the bottom wall 26. In the next two steps, shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the bottom wall 26 is folded down about the medial score line 28 to collapsed position and the flap 42 is folded up about the score line 32. Alternatively, the bottom wall 26 might be folded in by doubling at the medial score line 28, rather than about the score line 30 as shown in Fig. 8, and thus avoid the necessity for the two additional folding steps shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Thi procedure would result in disposing the bottom wall 26 doubled outwardly rather than inwardly between the side walls 24, and this would have to be done if the end partition strips 26 were formed as indicated at 26b in Fig. 4 to provide complete end closures for the bottle carrier.

The blank is then disposed for final folding to form the bottle carrier, and this is done by folding the top portion 'down to double the pairs of panels i4 and I6 about the medial score lines It,

as shown in Fig. 11, in which step the panel 16 flaps 44 are secured together by the adhesive 64, and the side wall 24 folded down is secured to the bottom wall flap 42 by the adhesive 56, to bind the bottle carrier structure. The side wall 24 might also be formed with a glue flap (not shown) at its extending edge for securing to the bottom wall 26 to provide with the flap 42 a double reinforcement for the carrier structure at this point.

The completed bottle carrier is shown in Fig. 11 collapsed in the form in which it may be shipped or stored until ready for use. For erection to be loaded with bottles B the handle portion I is merely shifted into alignment with the bottom wall 26 which folds the partition strips 26 and 22 to a position extending transversely from each side of the handle portion i0, and spreads the bottom wall 26 flat as the side walls 24 are moved outward by the folding of the partition strips 26 and 22.

As previously mentioned, this manipulation of the bottle carrier of the present invention between collapsed and erect position is easily carried out because of the balanced arrangement of the vertical score lines 34 and 36, and 38 and 40, re-

sulting from the telescoped arrangement of the 4 handle portion I0. This balanced arrangement may be observed by noting that each pair of vertical score lines 34, 36, 38 and 40 are formed in one face of the bottle carrier blank to fold in Opposite direction in telescoping the pairs of panels I 4 and It to form the handle portion l0. As a result, the normal fight in the score lines is balanced so that the bottle carrier of this invention is easily conditioned for manipulation and for stable disposition in either erect or collapsed position.

Another important feature of the telescoped arrangement of the handle portion I0 according to the present invention is the fact that it allows all outer surfaces of the completed bottle carrier to be formed on one face of the blank. This is an important feature because the bottle carrier blanks are commonly printed with advertising indicia and the like on one face, and it is advantageous to be able to decorate all outer surfaces in this manner with a uniform and balanced design.

Fig. 12 shows a bottle carrier of the same type shown in Fig. 11, except that the partition strips 26' and 22 have been increased in width to increase the height of the handle portion ill as an illustration of the simple manner in which the bottle carrier of the present invention may be adjusted to accommodate different size bottles.

In Fig. 13, a further modification is shown in which the handle grip flaps 46 are omiited and the upper end corners of the pairs of panels l4 and I6 are cut on a bias as indicated at 58, or otherwise conditioned, to allow engagement of an auxiliary handle member with the dou- 6 bled pairs of panels l4 and is forming the handle portion It. This arrangement provides a somewhat more comfor should be noted that and I6 provides a handle portion I0 01' double thickness which is particularly well adapted for use with an auxiliary handle member 60 of this sort because of the strength which it affords, and also 9 because the doubled disposition of the pairs of panels l4 and I6 will accommodate vertical adlustment of the handle member 60 to a depressed position for allowing the loaded bottle carrier to be stacked or to raised position for carrying.

I claim:

1. A collapsible carrier for bottles and other similar containers compris ng a bottom wall panel f r ed with a medial fold. line. o posed side wall panels foldahly joined to said bottom wall panel along opposite s de edges there f parallel with said medial fold line, a lurality of vertical part t on stri s dis osed at the ends and in spaced relation intermediate the en s of each I- of said opposed side wall pane s and extending transversely inward from vertical fold lines adacent the top edges of said opposed side wall panels, a pair of vertically dis o ed central panels joined along vertical fold lines ad acent 0 their respective bottom edges to at least two part t on strips extending from each of sa d o posed side wall panels ad acent one end thereof. said pair of central panels being .ioined along a fold line at their top edges and doubled tially face contacting relation, and a of vertically disposed central pan o ned along a fold line at their to doubled in substantially face cont tion, and joined adjacent their respe O edges to at least two partition stri from each of said opposed side wall cent the other end thereof. and one pair of said central panels being partially telescoped over and secured to the other pair of said central panels thereby forming a sturdy one-piece handle for said carrier.

2. A carrier for bottles and other similar containers comprising a bottom wa l panel, a side wall panel integral with said bottom wall panel 0 and disposed along one side edge thereof, a plurality of vertical partition strips integral with said side wall panel and extending transversely inward in spaced relation from said side wall panel, a vertically disposed central panel integral with at least two partition strips spaced at one 5 end of said side wall panel, a second vertically disposed central panel integral with at least two partition strips adjacent the other end of said side wall panel, complementary vertically dissecond pair els' likewise D edges and a in relactive bottom ps extending panels adia- 60 posed central panels integral with each of said first and second mentioned central panels and doubled respectively in substantially face contacting relation therewith, said first mentioned central panel and the complementary panel in- 5 tegral therewith being partially telescoped over and secured to said second mentioned central panel and the complementary central panel integral therewith thereby form ng a sturdy onepiece handle for said carrier, a second plurality 0 of vertical partition strips integral with said .-samplementaraiceatranpane s and soared in aligned relation with said first ment oned plurality of partition strips, at least two of said second plurality of partition str ps extending a transversely outward from each of said completable hand grip, and it I the telescoped arrange- 5 ment of the doubled pairs of panels l4 in substanmental-y panels, and a second side wall panel integral with said second plurality of partition strips, said second side wall panel being disposed in opposed relation to said first mentioned side wall panel and being secured to the opposite side edge of said bottom wall panel.

3. A blank adapted for forming a carrier for bottles andother similar containers, said blank being cut and scored to form a handle portion and a bottle supporting portion, said handle portion comprising two pairs of panels notched in said blank, each'of said pairs of panels being medially scored for doubling in substantially face contacting relation and laterally scored for folding in overlapping relation, whereby said pairs of panels may be arranged in partially telescoped relation when folded and doubled and thereby disposed for securing to form a sturdy one-piece handle for said carrier, and said bottle supporting portion comprising at least two partition strips cut in said blank and extending diagonally inward from each panel of said pairs of panels at the lateral scores thereon and terminating in similar laterally disposed scores,

opposed side wall panels joined to said partition strips at said second mentioned lateral scores,

and a bottom wall panel foldably joined to one of said side wall panels.

4. In a carrier for bottles and other similar containers, of the type including a bottom wall, opposed side walls associated with said bottom wall, and spaced partition strips extending from said opposed side walls, for spacing and supporting said bottles or containers in said carrier, a handle portion for said carrier comprising two pairs of panels foldably joined and doubled in substantially face contacting relation, each panel of said pairs of panels also being integral with and foldably joined to partition strips extending from said opposed side walls, and one pair of said panels being partially telescoped over and secured to the other pair of said panels thereby forming a sturdy one-piece handle for said carmen 5. A carrier for bottles and other similar containers comprising a handle portion and a bottle supporting portion, said handle portion being vertically disposed and comprising two pairs of panels foldably joined at their top edges and doubled in substantially face contacting relation, and one pair of said panels being partially telescoped over and secured to the other pair of said panels thereby forming a sturdy one-piece handle for said carrier, and said bottle supporting portion comprising a plurality of partition strips integral with and extending transversely in spaced relation on each side of said handle section from each panel of said pairs of panels adjacent the respective bottom edges thereof, opposed side walls integral with said partition strips at the extending ends thereof, and a bottom wall connected between said opposed side walls.

6. A carrier for bottles and other similar containers comprising a vertical, centrally disposed handle portion formed of two pairs of panels foldably joined at their top edges and doubled in substantially face contacting relation with one pair of said panels partially telescoped over and secured to the other pair of said panels thereby forming a sturdy one-piece handle for said carrier, a plurality of partition strips extending transversely in spaced relation on each side of said handle portion, two of said partition strips heino inte ral and foldably joined with each 76 panel of said pairs of panels along vertical fold lines adjacent the respective bottom edges thereof, opposed side walls integral and foldably -joined with said partition strips along vertical fold lines at the extending ends thereof, and a bottom wall foldably joined between said opposed side walls and formed with a medial fold line adapting said bottom wall for collapsing.

'I. A carrier for bottles and other similar containers comprising a bottom wall panel, opposed side wall panels joined to said bottom wall panel, a plurality of vertical partition strips extending transversely-inward from said opposed side wall panels, said partition strips being disposed at the ends and in spaced relation intermediate the ends 01' each of said side wall panels, two pairs of vertically disposed central panels having each panel of each pair secured adjacent its respective bottom edge to at least two partition strips extending from one of said opposed side wall panels adjacent one end thereof, one of said pairs of central panels being joined at their top edges and doubled in substantially face contacting relation, the second pair of vertically disposed central panels also being adapted for folding in substantially face contacting relation, and one pair of said central panels being folded over and secured to the other pair of said central panels thereby forming a sturdy one-piece handle for said carrier.

8. In a paper carrier for bottles having bottom and side walls and associated partition strips, for supporting the bottles and maintaining them in separate, spaced, vertical relationship, and a handle portion integral with and foldable with respect to said partition strips, the improvement of a sturdy, reinforced, handle portion comprising two pairs of panels, each of which pairs-of panels comprise flat paper members folded to provide two opposed vertical parallel faces, and each of said flat paper members being secured to at least two partition strips associated with said side walls and having hand-gripping apertures formed therein, said pairs of panels being folded in overlying relation so that said apertures coincide at a handle portion containing four thicknesses of paper arranged in substantially face contacting relationship, and the partition strips secured to each one of said flat paper members being oriented with complementary dispositions 'in relation to the partition strips secured to each of the other of said flat paper members, whereby the folding of said pairs of panels results in substantially balanced folding of said partition strips in opposed directions thereby providing stability for said bottle carrier in erect position, and whereby advertising indicia or the like printed on the blank for said carrier is displayed in a symmetrically balanced pattern when said bottle carrier is erected.

9. In a carrier for bottles and other similar containers comprising a paperboard structure having a bottom wall panel, opposed side wall panels joined to said bottom wall panel, a plurality of partition strips extending transversely inward at the ends and in spaced relation intermediate the ends of each of said side wall panels, and a central handle portion joined to the inwardly extending ends of said partition strips, the improvement which comprises a handle portion formed of two pairs of vertically disposed central panels having each panel of each pair secured adjacent its respective bottom edge to at least two partition strips extending from one of said opposed side wall panels adjacent one end thereof, at least one of said pairs of central panels being secured at their top edges and disposed in substantially face contacting relation, the second pair of central panels also being disposed in substantially face contacting relation, and the first pair of said central panels being disposed over and secured to said second pair of said central panels.

10. A paperboard carrier for bottles and similar articles comprising a bottom wall, opposed side walls joined to said bottom wall, end partition strips joinedat the ends of said opposed side walls and extending transversely therefrom, a plurality of intermediate partition strips extending transversely inward from said side walls in spaced relation, and a centrally disposed, multiply, longitudinal handle portion ior said carrier connected to said end and intermediate partition strips, said handle portion comprising a pair of opposed outer panels arranged in face-to-face relation, and a pair of intermediate panel elements disposed between said outer panels, the extending ends of said end partition strips being secured to the ends of said handle portion, and each of the outer and intermediate panel elements of said handle portion being integrally hinged to at least one of said intermediate partition strips.

11. In a paperboard carrier for bottles and similar articles having a bottom wall, opposed side walls joined to said bottom wall, end partition strips joined at the ends of said opposed side walls and extending transversely inward therefrom, a plurality of intermediate partition strips extending transversely inward from said side walls in spaced relation, and a centrally disposed longitudinal handle portion connected to the extending ends of said end and intermediate partition strips. the improvement which comprises a sturdy, multiply, handle portion for said carrier formed of a pair of opposed outer panels arranged in faceto-face relation and a pair of intermediate panel elements disposed in face contacting relation between said outer panels, the extending ends of said end partition strips being secured to the ends of said handle portion. and each of the outer and intermediate panel elements of said handle portion being integrally hinged to at least one 0 said intermediate partition strips.

HOMER W. FORRER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,322,396 Slevin June 22, 1943 2,367,066 Slevin Jan. 9, 1945 2,395,711 Arnold Feb. 26, 1946 2,458,281 Lupton Jan. 4, 1949 

